I Am The Nightmare
by But Friends Make Secrets
Summary: A short one shot giving a small glimpse of Peter's life with the Weasleys, and the consequences he must live with. Not the best summary, but give it a shot!


Molly Weasley made her way up the narrow staircase within the Burrow. She stopped in each of her children's rooms to tuck them in and kiss them goodnight until she reached the last bedroom below the attic. Opening the door a crack, she smiled at the sight of a small mound under the blankets of her youngest son's bed. She placed he hands on her hips.

"Now where did Ron go?"

A quiet giggle was heard, causing the mother to smile more. "Is he in the closet? No… Is he under the bed? Nooo… Maybe he's… here!" Molly began tickling the boy through the blankets, causing him to erupt in a peal of laughter. Finally, the covers were pulled away, revealing a small redheaded boy, roughly three or four years old, grinning up at his mother. "You found me!"

"Mommys can always find their children." She stated, giving him a kiss on the forehead. She began tucking the boy in when she noticed a small movement coming from the blankets. Also seeing this, Ron reached under the covers and pulled out a small brown rat.

"I was playing with Scabbers earlier. Can he stay with me? Pleeease?"

Molly laughed. "Alright, he can stay. But be careful not to squish him, okay?"

"Thanks mommy! I'll be super careful!"

"I know you will." Saying their goodnights, Mrs. Weasley turned off the lights and headed to bed, while Ron snuggled into his pillow and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

It was late. Moonlight crept in through the blinds of the window, casting a silvery glow on the room. The house was silent, even the ghoul offering quiet for the night. As the redheaded child slept on, a brown rat made its way to the floor.

Petter Pettigrew shivered. Three years. Three years since he had betrayed his friends, killing one, condemning another to a fate worse than death, and leaving the last all alone. Three years since he had been human.

He glanced down at his claws, and the tail from which he was given his nickname in school. As a rat, his emotions were simpler, less complicated. Most of the time he was able to distract himself by focusing on those basic animal instincts; food, fear, survival. But tonight, tonight he longed. He missed being human.

Glancing around the room, taking in the stillness of the house, he decided to risk it. For three years he had been too afraid to return to his true form. But what harm could it do? He would be human for just a little, and then transform back before anyone could even know.

Taking a deep breath, he changed.

Bones snapped and morphed, muscled and skin stretched. Soon the small rat, had turned into a small man. He was round, and ironically had a slightly rat-like face. His eyes were watery, his hair was mousy and thinning. Looking down, he realized he was wearing the same thing he had worn all those years ago when he became the bad guy.

Standing up straight, Peter smiled. He stretched and pulled muscles that he hadn't had for so long. His hands wove through the air, eyes following in fascination at the long forgotten appendages. Happiness pulsed through his veins. This was something he had never thought of, something he had taken for granted; being human.

Then he heard a gasp.

Whipping around, he locked eyes with the child, having forgotten he was even there. They stared at each other for a few mere seconds. Then Ron took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and _screamed._

Peter got lucky. There was a few seconds after the boy closed his eyes when Wormtail could change back. His transformation had barely finished when Molly Weasley apparated into the room. Within seconds, she had magicked the lights on and scooped her son into her arms.

"Ron! Oh, Ronny, what's wrong? What happened? Tell mommy what happened."

Sniffling, the child clung to his mother. "There was a man! I saw him! He was in my room right over there and so scary looking! I thought he was going to hurt me!"

Molly stroked Ron's hair, shushing him and kissing his head. "It's alright, love. It was only a nightmare, see? No one's here. No one's going to hurt you. It was just a bad dream."

Quieting down, Ron stayed in his mother's arms, allowing her to rock him comfortingly for a few more minutes. After he was calmed down, Mrs. Weasley carefully tucked him back in, brushing her fingers through his bangs, and stroking his cheek.

Looking down, the older woman scooped up Scabbers, who she had just noticed scurrying across the floor. "Here," She handed him to Ron, who quickly cuddled up with the animal, a few stray tears soaking into its fur. "Scabbers will stay with you and make you feel all better."

Ron nodded. "Mommy… will you stay for a bit?" He was still frightened by the scary man.

Molly smiled. "Of course, dear. I'll stay as long as you need."

Humming a soft lullaby, it didn't take long for the child to drift off to sleep once more. In his arms, Peter Pettigrew shook. His mind was stuck on the terror in the boy's eyes. Forgotten memories echoed in in his ears. He could still hear their laughter, _who'd be scared of you, Wormtail? You'd never hurt a fly!_

That night, Peter realized just how far he'd fallen. Because the tiny, burried part of him that was still the scared little boy at Hogwarts, desperate for friends and acceptance, was heartbroken that he had made a child cry.

It was nine years before he became human again.

* * *

**The End.**

**Well, there you go. Eh, it didn't actually turn out as good as I'd hoped, but I needed to get the idea out of my head. Bleeeh, I hate Peter. But I wanted to do this because a) I wanted to challenge myself, and b) one must wonder, I meaning living with the Weasleys all those years, and never being able to return to your human form. I wondered...**

**Well, I have about five other stories I need to work on. Hopefully will get them up soon. Let me know what you thought though! (Flames totally welcome, it's a bit chilly today). xoxo ~BFMS**


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